Many feel that health care is a public good, which should be available to all in the community. However, one can argue, can the hospital/ clinic remain solvent if these services are not reimbursed? We will examine the case in the short assignment, the specific case scenario of an illegal immigrant requiring regular dialysis treatments.

Assume that you are a hospital administrator and were recently reviewing Emergency room reports indicating that there had been a recent influx of patients who were not legal citizens requiring dialysis treatments.

You are aware that Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for undocumented alien health care services is extremely limited and has not expanded by the ACA. However, federal regulations provide that when an individual comes to an emergency room for emergency medical care, that individual cannot be turned away and must be treated. Staff cannot inquire into the individual’s ability to pay or citizenship. Dispensing health care services from an emergency department is one of the most expensive ways to deliver health care. While provision of this care is mandated, as previously explained, reimbursement is often denied when the patient is an illegal immigrant. This leaves the hospital to absorb the funds expended on providing the dialysis treatments. Hospitals are in a quandary about how to approach providing such care, especially since dialysis is an ongoing treatment and this situation represents a chronic and persistent problem.

Clarify your position, in 750 to 1000 word count,(a two to four-page) using APA style. Please answer the following questions:

1. Identify the ethical dilemma presented
2. Identify the relevant stakeholder(s), applicable ethical theory(ies), law(s), rule(s) or regulation(s), and possible outcome(s) and alternative(s)
3. Arrive at a conclusion about what you are going to do with respect to this dilemma (i.e. what options will you provide to your patients and staff) and support that conclusion with both ethical and factual justifications